Frequent Road Crashes Can Impact Development – ACP Mckenzie

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), Gary McKenzie, says the frequent occurrence of road crashes has the potential to impact national development.

He noted that these incidents not only cause serious injuries and loss of lives but place an economic burden on families and the economy.

“The occurrence of collisions has stymied human development, as over 60 per cent of drivers who have died or suffered serious injuries are within the 18 to 39 age group that is the most productive years,” he added.

He was addressing the ‘Crash No More 2024’ defensive driving workshop on February 27 at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston. The event was hosted by Grenell’s Driving School in partnership with Red Stripe.

ACP McKenzie, who is Head of the Public Safety and Traffic Enforcement Branch (PSTEB), welcomed the focus on defensive driving.

He said police investigations indicate that most collisions are caused by excessive speed, failure to keep to the left and improper overtaking, which could all have been avoided with better defensive driving decisions by motor-vehicle operators.

Defensive driving refers to techniques employed by motorists to keep safe on the roads, reduce the risks of potential hazards, including other drivers, damaged road surfaces, debris, inclement weather, and more.

Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport, Carol Palmer, who commended the organisers for hosting the defensive driving workshop, called for a change in road-user behaviour in 2024, to reduce road crashes and fatalities.

She said that defensive driving entails “discipline, responsibility, duty of care, self-control, sensitivity, safety, calmness, alertness, hazard consciousness, Road Traffic Act awareness, and sobriety”.

Data from the Island Traffic Authority (ITA) indicate that as of February 23, a total of 52 lives have been lost to road crashes, resulting from 44 fatal collisions.

Director General of the ITA, Col. Daniel Pryce said the unit’s analysis of crash data highlights that motor cyclists, pedestrians and private-motor-vehicle drivers were the top-three road-user categories with the highest number of road fatalities in 2023.

“The main causes of our fatalities include speeding with no regard for the condition of the road and drivers failing to remain in their lane,” he said.

In 2023, Jamaica recorded 425 road fatalities, resulting from 384 fatal collisions.

The fatalities represent a 13 per cent decline, while fatal collisions represent a 10 per cent reduction when compared to 2022.